Availability of small, efficient target detection systems results in growing measure in their deployment in the area of infantry weapons such as for example machine-guns or grenade launchers. For training of modern armed forces this results in a corresponding need for suitable ammunition for launcher devices and grenade weapons, portable mortars and shoulder-launchable charges. On the part of the Armed Forces, such ammunition is basically to be given preference for which, in addition to optical perceptibility in the visible range of light, detection is also possible by means of night-vision and/or thermal imaging devices for distances of up to approximately 1500 m.
Pyrotechnical ammunitions based on flash/“boom” effect are suitable for training purposes for visual-optical and acoustical perception, as well as for detection by means of night-vision and thermal imaging devices. One drawback of such pyrotechnical ammunitions is their potential danger by the explosive itself contained in the missiles, as well as by clearing the training areas, which are contaminated by unexploded shells.
During the previous decades, this led to the development of training ammunitions with explosive-free missiles. The visual-optical perceptibility in said type of ammunitions is attained, for example, by the release of colored dust on dismantling at time of impact. For detectability with night-vision devices, appropriate ammunitions were developed which utilize chemo-luminescent effects. The combination of colored dusts and marker units with chemo-luminescent effect ultimately made possible the supply of uniform trainings-ammunitions with explosive-fee missiles for training by day and training by night.
With US 2011/0079164 A1 or WO 2011/044126 A2, a 40 mm training ammunition is proposed for use, among others, in grenade launchers. It has an explosive-free missile, in which is integrated in the area of the missile top a fragile pay-load module. The pay-load module is filled with different materials, or in case of a therein integrated ampoule, with different combinations of materials in order to attain various effects. The lay-out of the ammunition is designed in such manner that it can be provided with different pay-load modules, while construction of the drive, the missile body with substance insert and the missile cover remain the same. In order to attain a visual-optical effect for day-time training, utilization is proposed of coloring substances in powder form or in granulated form or of coloring solutions or in gel-form. If a pay-load module with integrated ampoule is used, it is additionally possible to attain a detectable effect with night-vision and/or thermal imaging devices. In order to attain an effect which is detectable with thermal imaging devices, it is suggested to use a pyrophoric material in the form of powder or in granular form. As a result of combining coloring material and phosphoric material, it is possible to produce a visual-optical and at least by thermal imaging detectable effect.
WO 2011/019695 A1 discloses another 40 mm training ammunition for use, among others, in grenade launchers. Said explosive-free missile has, analogous to the existing “day-time and night-time marking” ammunitions, colored dust for “day-time marking” as well as an encapsulated chemo-luminescent effect for “night-time marking”. As opposed to the known state of the art, a ‘heat Engine” is being proposed here which is integrated in the base of the missile and generates encapsulated thermal energy, said “heat engine” being initiated by the firing load, and which is to heat up, directly or indirectly—via a thermal transfer medium—the chemo-luminescent effect, so that it is detectable at the point of impact dismantling by means of night-vision and thermal imaging devices. The encapsulated heat generated in the “heat engine” has the effect that with the use of pyrophoric materials for generating heat, these are not released and accordingly there is no risk of potential fire hazard. In addition to the use of pyrophoric materials, reactions of anhydrous salts with water or polymerization reactions of organic substances are also suggested for potential generation of thermal energy.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,055,438 B1 deals with ammunitions in calibers from 20 mm to 155 mm, which employ heat generating effect as “explosive-free luminous tracers” and/or long-term target marking—either alone or in combination with a chemo-luminescent effect. Examples are given here, among others, of reactions of (anhydrous) calcium chloride with water or a watery solution or metals in powder form with hydrogen-peroxide solutions. In order to attain longer-term marking effects, the solid matter substances are mixed with binding agents in powder form such as hydroxy-ethyl-cellulose or CAB, with the objective of forming during mixing with the liquid component or the liquid components a gelatinized, adhesive active mass.
With respect to the explosive-free training ammunitions being employed in the area of 40 mm grenade launchers, there currently exist two basic variations of the “day-time marking” by means of colored dusts released during impact, as well as the “day-time and night-time marking”, where the missiles in addition to the colored dust release a chemo-luminescent effect, which is separately installed in the missile. Due to integration of the encapsulated chemo-luminescent effect in the missile, there results a correspondingly reduced colored dust volume, based on weighing, so that the required visual-optical visibility above 1000 m clearly decreases for 40 mm ammunitions, for example.
The possibility of integrating an additional effect for detection by means of thermal imaging devices can only be realized at the cost of detectability of the other effects. As a result, the effectively usable combat fight ranges in the training scenarios become greatly reduced. While this, perhaps, may still suffice for simple firing exercises at close range, a more reality-like combat training is no longer possible with this type of ammunition, e.g. in connection with grenade launchers and/or machine guns on combat vehicles.
All training ammunitions being employed or proposed are, ultimately, based on the original variation of the training ammunition with explosive-free missile with colored dust effect and have the objective of increasing functionality by integration of additional effects. The reduction based on weight of integration of an additional effect or additional effects, is accompanied by a more or less decrease of the effectively usable firing range of the training ammunition. By way of progression, variation or expansion of the preceding mode of action, a solution is not possible relative to the objects on which the invention is based.
The invention is based on the object of providing an ammunition with an explosive-free missile, which generates at dismantling within the target a multi-spectral signature which can be detected with the naked eye or with technical aids, such as rifle-scopes or other optical target detection systems, night-vision and thermal imaging devices.